Ireland-based Filipino ultrarunner Rex Brillantes (Contributed photo)
HUNGARY – Ireland-based Filipino runner Rex Brillantes came out with best performance in ultrarunning after hurdling the grueling GOMU 6-Day World Championships on Sept. 5 to 11 in Balatonfüred, Hungary.
The 48-year-old native of Calatrava, Negros Occidental emerged as among the 111 ultrarunners from 27 countries who completed the race within the 144-hour limit.
Brillantes, the lone participant from the Philippines, was able to run 557.568 km., which is now his personal record, to finish 37th place overall and 4th in his age category (45-49) despite having no team to assist him throughout the race that kicked off at 12 noon on Sept. 5 amid the scorching heat of the sun.
“We started 12 noon Thursday, 5 September (and) finished 12 noon Wednesday on September 11. I came to experience this 6-days for I haven't done it before. I have no plan on how I tackled it,” Brillantes said.
Mattheiu Bonne of Belgium ran 1,046.31 km. to become the overall champion while 4th placer Maráz Zsuzsanna of Hungary is the best runner in the women’s division with 805.555-km performance.
Brillantes, a health care assistant in Ireland, is no stranger to long-distance running as he won the 12-hour category of the Ultramarathon National Championship in Belfast, Ireland in June 2024
In 2022, he won the Festival Ultra Marathon and also earned a silver medal at the 303-km. Italian Ultra Marathon Festival in Policoro, Italy.
The GOMU (Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners) was set up in 2021 to promote multi-day running globally and to recognize multi-day records that the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) does not.
GOMU was the brainchild of legendary Canadian ultrarunner Trishul Cherns. (Alona Cochon/PNA)
